April 24, 2024
The morning air was cool, carrying the faint scent of wet grass and dust. A pale orange sun was just beginning to climb over the buildings as Jai jogged along the cracked pathway of the neighborhood park.
He ran every morning now.
Not because he suddenly cared about fitness.
But because he needed somewhere to put the energy inside him.
Since the audition, something had changed. He felt more… awake. More aware of his body, his breath, his presence. Like he was preparing for something even if he didn't know when it would arrive.
His shoes thudded rhythmically against the ground.
Step.
Step.
Step.
Not a metronome.
His own heartbeat.
A group of elderly men stretched near the benches. A woman practiced yoga under a tree. A stray dog trotted lazily across the grass, stopping to scratch its ear.
Everything felt normal.
Until his phone vibrated.
Jai slowed to a walk, breath still heavy, and pulled it out of his pocket. Unknown number.
For a second, he just stared at it.
Then answered.
"Hello?"
"Jai?" a voice asked.
"Yes, speaking."
"This is Kamal, assistant director from Fixed Games."
Jai stopped walking.
The park sounds faded into background noise.
"Yes, sir…" he said carefully.
There was a brief shuffle of papers on the other end.
"I'm calling regarding the villain role audition."
Jai's throat went dry.
"We liked your performance," Kamal continued. "Director Suraj sir and producer Rajesh sir both agreed. You are selected for the character."
Silence.
Not because Jai didn't hear.
But because his brain refused to accept it.
"Jai? Hello?"
"Yes—yes, sir!" he blurted out. "Thank you, sir. Thank you so much."
His voice cracked halfway through.
Kamal chuckled softly. "Relax. We need you to come for a meeting tomorrow at 10 p.m. We'll discuss schedule, look test, and paperwork."
"Tomorrow… 10 p.m. Yes, sir. I'll be there."
"Good. Don't be late."
The call ended.
Jai stood frozen in the middle of the path.
A jogger had to move around him.
Selected.
He had been selected.
For the first time in five years…
He had passed an audition.
He laughed once, disbelieving.
"No… this is a dream."
He pinched his own forearm.
"Ouch—OUCH!"
The pain shot up instantly.
Nearby, the same stray dog stopped mid-step and stared at him with visible confusion, head tilted as if trying to understand why this human was attacking himself.
Jai looked at the dog, still holding his arm.
"I got a role," he told it breathlessly.
The dog blinked.
Then walked away, unimpressed.
Jai started laughing again — a full, unrestrained laugh that made two uncles doing breathing exercises glance at him suspiciously.
He didn't care.
For once…
Life had said yes.
---
The entire day passed in a blur.
Jai tried to work his warehouse shift at night, but he kept smiling at nothing. Every time someone shouted at him to move faster, he just nodded happily.
He barely slept.
Not from anxiety.
From excitement.
---
The next night, Jai stood outside a modest production office in Andheri. The signboard was small, slightly crooked, with peeling letters.
Still, to him, it felt like the gates of a different world.
He checked the time.
9:52 p.m.
He wiped his palms on his jeans and stepped inside.
The office was simple — a reception desk, a couple of posters, a corridor leading to a conference room.
Inside the room sat three people.
Suraj.
Rajesh.
And Kamal, the assistant director.
They looked up as Jai entered.
He folded his hands slightly. "Good evening, sir."
"Come, Jai," Suraj said, gesturing to a chair. "Sit."
Jai sat on the edge of the seat, back straight, nervous energy buzzing through him.
Rajesh gave him a small nod. "Congratulations."
"Thank you, sir."
Suraj studied him for a moment — this normal, soft-spoken young man — and still found it hard to connect him to the terrifying presence from the audition.
"We'll get straight to it," Rajesh said, opening a folder. "This is a low-budget project, as we mentioned. But it's performance-driven. Your role is very important."
Jai nodded attentively.
"Your remuneration will be five lakhs for the film," Rajesh said.
Jai blinked.
Five.
Lakhs.
For a second, he wondered if he heard wrong.
"Yes, sir," he said quickly before his voice could betray shock. "That's more than fair. Thank you."
Rajesh smiled faintly. He'd seen that expression before — the quiet relief of someone who had struggled too long.
"We begin shooting in one month," Suraj added. "Most of your portions are in a single schedule, but it will be intense. Physical preparation, mental focus, rehearsals."
"I'm ready, sir," Jai said without hesitation.
Suraj leaned forward.
"I need you to understand something," he said seriously. "This character is not about shouting or looking scary. It's about control. Stillness. Internal tension."
Jai met his eyes.
"I understand, sir."
Suraj held his gaze a moment longer, then nodded slowly. He believed him.
Kamal slid a paper across the table. "Tomorrow, come for screen test and look test. We'll try different costumes, lighting setups. You'll also collect the final bound script."
Jai's fingers hovered over the paper like it was fragile glass.
Final script.
Another doorway.
"And," Suraj added, "you'll meet the lead actress tomorrow as well. We'll do a short chemistry reading."
Jai swallowed and nodded. "Yes, sir."
Rajesh closed the folder.
"Welcome to Fixed Games, Jai."
For a moment, Jai didn't know what to say.
So he did the only thing he could.
"Thank you for trusting me," he said softly.
---
A few minutes later, Jai stepped back out into the night.
The city lights shimmered. Traffic roared. Somewhere, music played from a distant tea stall radio.
But everything felt different now.
He wasn't outside the industry anymore, looking in.
He had one foot inside.
He looked down at his palm under a streetlight.
For just a second…
He thought he saw faint lines beneath the skin.
Waiting.
Tomorrow, he would touch the final script.
And step back into the darkness of a villain's mind.
But tonight—
He allowed himself to just stand there, smiling at nothing, as the city moved around him.
Because after years of being unseen…
Someone had finally said his name and meant it.